Excerpt from The Brackin Family in the Southeastern United States
Reprinted with permission
These are some records found of interest in regard to Lucy Ann COLCLOUGH. In Sumner
Co., Tenn. Registrar's office "Kentucky Titles of 1835, page 245 - in part . . . We do transfer to Benj.
BELL for consideration of $400.00 paid to Benj. COLCLOUGH in his life time a tract of land in
Sumner Co., Tenn. Dist. #18 containing by estimate 217 acres this 20th Jan. 1852.
Signed:
Mary B. WILSON
Burton WILSON
William X COLCLOUGH
Lucy Ann BRACKIN
Granville BRACKIN
Wit:
James X BLATE Jr.
Berry WILLIAMS Jr.
Then there is an extensive law suit taking up dozens of pages in Chancery Court of Sumner Co.,
1854 Term Vol. D over a slave that was suppose to have belonged to Mary and Martha BELL who
were of unsound mind, apparently mental defectives. On page 39 it states that the slave was in the
possession of Granville BRACKIN, having come from the estate of his father-in-law Benjamin
COLCLOUGH. Also it mentions the children of Charles and Mary BELL as Zachariah BELL and
Benjamin BELL and the lunatic complaints Mary and Martha BELL. In Vol. C p. 11 regarding the
same case it says that Mary BELL was the daughter of John COLCLOUGH.
In Nov. 1853 term regarding this case it says Martha is an idiot 35 to 40 yrs. In 1803 John
COLCLOUGH died, will dated June 1802 loaned to Mary BELL, mother of said Martha BELL . .
. Mary BELL died in 1839 leaving 4 children: Martha, Mary, Benjamin, and Zachariah BELL. On
page 234 it says Mary is 40-50 yrs of age.
Further information we have on the COLCLOUGH family is worthy of publishing. The will of
John COLCLOUGH may be found in Will Bk. 12 #61 of Warren Co., N. C. - dated 3 Jan. 1803.
Wife, Lucy, Extrx - daughters: Sally COLCLOUGH, Mary BELL, Betsy CENTER (or SENTER),
Nancy COLCLOUGH, and Fanny ACREE - sons: William COLCLOUGH, Benjamin COLCLOUGH.
James and Grigsby COLCLOUGH were named but relationship was not given.
John COLCLOUGH was the son of William COLCLOUGH and acted as Adm. of his estate
May Ct. 1790. (Will Bk 5 #164 of Warren Co., N. C. lists as expense travel to Fairfax, Va. -
apparently the earlier residence of the COLCLOUGHS. However, Jim COLCLOUGH of Westport,
Calif. says they came from Stafford Co., VA.)
In Will Bk 4 #168 of Warren Co., N. C. Margaret SHEARIN mortgages her inheritance from
her father William COLCLOUGH and her grandmother Rachel COLCLOUGH to her brother
Benjamin COLCLOUGH to secure a debt of 17 lbs/15/6/1/4 VA. money due Dec. 27, 1787.
From this we may conclude:
Family of COLCLOUGH
1st Gen.
___and Rachel COLCLOUGH
2nd Gen.
William COLCLOUGH (died May 1790, Warren Co., N. C.)
3rd Gen.
John COLCLOUGH, Benjamin COLCLOUGH, Margaret SHEARIN
4th Gen., children of John COLCLOUGH (will Jan. 1802, Warren Co., N.C., wife Lucy)
Sally COLCLOUGH
Mary BELL ( wife of Charles BELL)
Betsy CENTER (or SENTER)
Nancy COLCLOUGH
Fanny ACREE
William COLCLOUGH
Benjamin COLCLOUGH
5th Gen.
Children of Charles and Mary BELL - Zachariah, Benjamin, Mary, Martha BELL
Children of Benjamin COLCLOUGH - Lucy Ann COLCLOUGH who married Granville BRACKIN; Mary B. who married Burton WILSON; and William COLCLOUGH.